OUR GREAT GOD

OUR GREAT GOD

                “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.” Isa, 40:22

                “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth; and the earth was formless and void and darkness was over the surface of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light and there was light.” Gen. 1:1-3

                “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him; and apart from Him, nothing came into being that has come into being I Him was life and the life was the light of men. And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld His glory, glory as of eh only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

                NASA recently announced that the universe is expanding considerably faster than they thought and that the speed of expansion is accelerating rather than decelerating. They now admit that there is something missing from their big bang models. But no matter how many big words they coin to explain our universe, God in His infinite wisdom simply said that He spread out the universe like a curtain, like a tent to dwell in. And when all of our words fail to create a full picture of how the universe works, we can still resort to God’s description of it all and to rest in the fact that He is in control.

                When we think of Pentecost and of that day in the upper room when the Holy Spirit was poured out in cloven tongues of fire upon the waiting disciples, we somehow don’t equate that event with the creation story. One event takes place amidst a small group of fearful yet expectant disciples, who are believing that their teacher is going to fulfill His promise.

                But now in the creation story we have this same Holy Spirit hovering over the face of the deep, waiting on the Word of the Lord, to bring the entire universe into existence. One event seems to be an expansive event beyond comprehension, while the other event seems almost small and insignificant. But the same One that called our universe into existence and spread it out like a tent to dwell in, is the One that also commissioned that same Holy Spirit to take up residence in our hearts and to transform us into the image of the One who created us

                I don’t know for sure which brilliant theologian it was who decided that the power of Pentecost faded away with the death of the first apostles, but Pentecost was brought to us by the same Holy Spirit that hovered over the face of the deep and I am here to testify that the sun is still shining, and my grass is still growing simply because God said “Let there be” and babies of every species are still being born and trees are still providing food and shade.

                True prosperity in this world is that of being filled with the same Holy Spirit and learning to walk in His power and His love and grace. Can there be any greater purpose than attaching our wayward souls to the source of all life and then learning to how to walk in that light? Can there be any greater aspiration than to learn to hear the voice of the Shepherd. Can there be any nobler goal than to desire to spend eternity with the One who created eternity in the first place?

                Sometimes we make it too complicated. We try to develop formulas, or invent human strategies by which to curry His favor, when in fact we are told to be still and to know that He is God. Those that come to Him must believe that He is and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Heb. 11:6

                Faith simply says: “God said it. I believe it and that settles it for me.” We don’t have to join NASA in trying to figure out a formula that would explain why we don’t need such a God as the one who describes Himself in His Word.”

                WE think it so hard to live by God’s Spirit and yet, most of the world spends most of its time trying to run from God and to turn off His voice in their heads. How is it then that we struggle so?

                Maybe we ought to turn it all around like David did and to ask? “Where can I go from Your Spirit?” Or where can I flee from Your presence.” Everywhere I turn you are there. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance… you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. You wrote all of the days of my life in a book before there was even one of them.”

                In essence Jesus spoke at Pentecost and said, “ Let there be a church and let it be conceived and formed by my Holy Spirit and may it become my body in the world even as I am the head and let it be that whenever even two or three are gathered in My name, there I will be with them.”

                Isn’t it sad that we often try to define God with human formulas and doctrines, even as we fight against and run from the One who could breathe the very presence of God into us making us into living organisms of His presence.

                But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:26

                “Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4

                “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.

                My grass is still growing friends and the same Spirit that responded to the word of Jesus in Genesis is the same Holy Spirit that responds to His Word today to breathe the life of God into us.  So… let there be light. Our great God still speaks and His Holy Spirit still responds.